Breathe
by Petchricor
Summary: Bill Cipher knows how to cause damage better than anybody


**This story was requested by someone on Tumblr awhile ago  
**

 **Anyway, enjoy~**

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Mabel woke in the middle of the night, the red numbers on the clock telling her that it was just a little passed midnight, and she found herself wondering why she had woken. She was a pretty heavy sleeper and more often then not slept solidly all through the night, the only times she could recall having woken in the middle of the night was the time Dipper set the bathroom on fire and the other time that someone had broken into the house across the street. There were a few other times as well and each had something to do with trouble. So, as she looked around, she wondered what it was.

Her mind instantly went to the demon Bill Cipher and her eyes narrowed. He had been such trouble at her puppet show the evening prior, possessing Dipper's body and trying to burn the book. But the world was in color and Dipper was still in bed, so it probably wasn't him. As Mabel sat up in bed, swinging her legs so they hung off the side, she felt that the room was far too still, like something from that horror movie her and Dipper had snuck in one night. Boy, had they regretted that! She smiled at the memory and her eyes fell on Dipper, who lay face-up on his bed.

The poor guy had been through a lot and Mabel hadn't argued when he wanted to go to bed right after getting his hands and arms bandaged. He really needed his rest after all of that, and going over twenty-four hours before hand without sleep hadn't helped either. Mabel frowned a little and hopped out of bed, avoiding the creaks in the wood as she made her way over to her brother's bed, feeling an odd need to check on him. She stopped beside his bed and looked at him, his face relaxed. Mabel sighed and patted his stomach with a small smile, her hand freezing and her body tensing.

He wasn't breathing.

"D-Dipper?" Her voice was trembling and her hand started to shake, her brain trying to will herself to feel him breathe. He placed a hand on his chest, his heart barely beating and it wasn't moving from his breath either. Mabel felt her breath catch, every other part of her brain that wasn't taking in the fact that her brother was dying right before her shutting down. She put both hands on Dipper's arm and shook, tears starting to appear in her eyes. "Dipper? Dipper, wake up! Dipper! GRUNKLE STAN!" Tears streamed down the girl's cheeks, a sob escaping her as she cried out for her great uncle to come help.

Moments later the door burst open, Grunkle Stan standing there ready for danger. Seconds later Mabel was lifted off the ground and set on her bed, a small part of her brain registering that she had been told to stay there and despite wanting to go back over to her brother Mabel didn't move. Through the haze of her tears Mabel saw Stan putting his ear to Dipper's chest before tilting his head a certain way and doing what she assumed was CPR. Mabel felt soft sobs contracting her chest as she watched, praying silently that her brother would just wake up. She just wanted him to breath.

Dipper awoke with a start, eyes snapping open as he took in a deep gulp of air as though he had never breathed in his entire life. Mabel almost shot right over but willed herself to stay as she leaned forward, almost falling off her bed as she did. Stan was saying something to Dipper, who didn't really seem to be quite getting it all and wasn't responding. After a moment Stan snapped his fingers and Dipper's eyes honed in on him, blinking once very slowly.

"What happened?" Stan asked slowly. Dipper blinked again, even slower.

"Bill, Cipher," he mumbled before his eyes closed and he fell back onto his pillow. Without another word Stan picked Dipper up and walked downstairs, Mabel trotting behind him as he did. Without words they both slipped on their shoes and jackets, going outside and getting into the car. Stan strapped Dipper into the back seat next to Mabel before getting into the driver's seat and heading out onto the road.

AΩ

Mabel stared down at her shoes as she sat beside Stan in the waiting room. Stan hadn't said anything aside from talking to the nurse since Dipper had mentioned Bill, Mabel didn't know what she'd say when he did but she couldn't seem to get her mind focused on those thoughts for more than a few seconds, because all she could think about was that her brother had stopped breathing and that she wanted to know he'd be all right. She shrunk into herself a little bit, clasping her hands together between her knees, and wondered if wishes actually came true.

"Mr. Pines?" Stan stood up and Mabel did too, both looking at the man who walked up to them with a soft smile. "He's going to be all right." They both let out sighs of relief, Mabel falling back into her chair. "However, we'd like to keep him here overnight just to be sure." Stan nodded and Mabel tuned out the rest of the conversation. She was smiling softly because Dipper was all right and he would come home tomorrow. "He's asleep right now, so you can both go home and get some sleep if you'd like."

Minutes later, after letting Mabel check on Dipper one last time, the two left for home. It was a little passed one thirty at this point and Mabel could feel herself getting tired as she looked out the window of the car at the town going passed them. She kept reminding herself that Dipper was going to be all right and that she'd see him tomorrow sometime after noon. The crisis was over. However, she was now presented with a new problem. Talking to Stan about Bill. She sighed, her breath fogging up the window as she did. That wasn't a conversation she was looking forward too.

"Mabel," Stan spoke up as they arrived at the shack, the two of them stepping out of the car. He looked at Mabel with a hard expression and Mabel avoided his gaze, tugging on the bottom of her jacket nervously. "What did Bill Cipher do to him, exactly?" He spoke slowly, making sure each word was the right one and that Mabel had heard him. Mabel sighed and looked up at her Grunkle.

"He...He possessed Dipper's body," Mabel answered, looking away again when Stan's expression turned to one of horror. "It was my fault, he wanted to crack the code to this laptop we found and I promised to help him, but I got so wrapped up in my stupid puppet show that I didn't and Bill manipulated him into making a deal. He took Dipper's body, smashed the laptop, and was going after the journal. That's why we were fighting on stage and why I blew it up, because Bill was trying to get the journal." Mabel hadn't stopped tugging on her jacket, feeling the fabric bend beneath her palm was oddly comforting. It was silent for awhile, Stan taking it all in.

"All right," he spoke in a soft sigh. He patted Mabel's shoulder. "That's all I needed to know. Come on, it's late and we need to get some sleep." Mabel nodded in agreement and the two headed into the shack. They removed their jackets and shoes before heading upstairs to their rooms. Mabel closed the door to the attic behind her and sighed as she flung herself onto her bed.

"Stupid Bill Cipher," she mumbled, half awake as she punched her pillow angrily. "Stupid puppet show." Mabel pulled the blankets over her and curled up tight, staring across the room at Dipper's empty bed. She curled up tighter and felt her eyes sting with tears. "I'm sorry, Dipper. How could I have been so stupid...?"

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 **And that's a wrap!**

 **Thanks for reading, please review and have a bow chicka bow wow day~**

 **Petchricor, QotG, signing off ;)**


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